A nanoengineered solution to drug delivery in bone. This project presents an exciting new approach of applying nanotechnology to bone research. By combining our expertise in nanoengineering of new materials, mathematical modelling and bone biology, this project will result in a well-characterised model for drug delivery into bone and lead to a new therapeutic approach for treating bone diseases.
Impaired Bone Remodelling Leads To Failure Of Orthopaedic Prostheses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$515,917.00
Summary
The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem. More than 26,000 hip, and an equal number of knee, replacements were performed in Australia in 2002 with the number increasing between 5%-10% each year for the previous 10 years. Disturbingly, the incidence of revision hip surgery in Australia is now more than 15%, meaning that, despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is becoming more common for young, active in ....The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem. More than 26,000 hip, and an equal number of knee, replacements were performed in Australia in 2002 with the number increasing between 5%-10% each year for the previous 10 years. Disturbingly, the incidence of revision hip surgery in Australia is now more than 15%, meaning that, despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is becoming more common for young, active individuals to receive joint replacement surgery to improve their quality of life. This, combined with increasing life expectancy, and the known higher rate of failure of joint replacements in younger patients, means that the morbidity of a failed replacement, and the mobidity and associated mortality of revision surgery, will become an increasingly important health issue, with a major impact upon health budgets. The overwhelming majority of hip and knee prostheses have metal or ceramic on polyethylene bearing surfaces. It is now apparent that most implants fail due to bone loss around them leading to loosening, and evidence is accumulating that polyethylene wear particles are a major contributing factor to this process. It is therefore vital that we obtain better understanding of the causes of implant failure in order to extend the life of these implants and this project is designed to do so.Read moreRead less
Material structure and properties of mineralised tissue: An integrated micro and nano level investigation. Bone material properties have a direct influence on disorders of the skeleton, such as osteoporotic bone fragility fractures and osteoarthritis. It has been estimated that the direct and indirect cost of all fragility fractures and arthritis is over $20 billion per annum. The impact of this will be far-reaching with the social benefits ranging from earlier and more accurate diagnoses, to t ....Material structure and properties of mineralised tissue: An integrated micro and nano level investigation. Bone material properties have a direct influence on disorders of the skeleton, such as osteoporotic bone fragility fractures and osteoarthritis. It has been estimated that the direct and indirect cost of all fragility fractures and arthritis is over $20 billion per annum. The impact of this will be far-reaching with the social benefits ranging from earlier and more accurate diagnoses, to the development of preventative strategies to delay the onset of musculoskeletal disorders. These developments will translate into exciting commercial opportunities and overall economic growth and sustainability.Read moreRead less
A Randomised Controlled Trial Examining Stability Of New Types Of Highly Porous Surfaced Acetabular Components In Total Hip Replacement
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$216,490.00
Summary
Numbers of total hip replacements are steadily increasing. The most common complication of hip replacement is late implant loosening, which can be predicted by early migration. We will examine early migration of a trabecular metal acetabular cup without screws, compared to a titanium fibre metal acetabular cup fixed with screws. Ideally, an acetabular cup would achieve a level of initial stability by press-fit alone without screws, as screws increase the risk of bone loss around the prosthesis.
Regulation Of Key Pathways Causing Peri-implant Bone Loss.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,639.00
Summary
The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem in our aging population. Despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is now apparent that most implants fail due to bone loss around them which leads to loosening. This project aims to obtain a better understanding of the causes of implant failure and find ways to extend the life of these implants .
Radiostereometric Analysis Of The Effect Of A Large Articulation On Prosthetic Wear And Migration After Hip Replacement
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$192,186.00
Summary
At total hip replacement, there has been a recent trend to use prostheses with a larger ball and liner in the socket. This may decrease the risk of post-operative dislocation, but may also increase the amount of wear, leading to bone loss and loosening of prostheses, which may then require replacement. This project will use a special type of x-ray to determine whether wear and movement of these new prostheses is clinically acceptable, so that they can be used with confidence in patients.
Attachment of Growth Factors to Pure, Plasma Modified and Coated Titanium Substrates. Titanium and its alloys are routinely used as medical and dental implants. Despite coating with hydroxyapatite, a material well known to improve implant fixation, many such implants fail because of lack of strong integration with bone. This proposal aims at achieving long-term stability of titanium implants through their surface modification and subsequent attachment of growth factors. The use of latter has alr ....Attachment of Growth Factors to Pure, Plasma Modified and Coated Titanium Substrates. Titanium and its alloys are routinely used as medical and dental implants. Despite coating with hydroxyapatite, a material well known to improve implant fixation, many such implants fail because of lack of strong integration with bone. This proposal aims at achieving long-term stability of titanium implants through their surface modification and subsequent attachment of growth factors. The use of latter has already been shown to help bone-implant integration. Successful project implementation will provide titanium implant surfaces that will help achieve speedier and improved implant fixation with long-term stability. Knowledge, expertise and techniques developed will help the industry partner expanding its research base and business and generating wealth in Australia. Training of world-class research students in the emerging field of biotechnology will be another major outcome.Read moreRead less
Three-dimensional Simulation of Trabecular Bone Remodelling. Nearly 2 million Australians currently suffer from osteoporosis. Statistics indicate that 25% of Australian women and 17% of men will develop an osteoporotic fracture. The cost of osteoporosis is $7.4 billion per annum; the numbers of affected individuals and costs are expected to continue increasing. Clearly, improvements to osteoporosis diagnosis, fracture risk assessment, and effective treatments are still urgently needed. The p ....Three-dimensional Simulation of Trabecular Bone Remodelling. Nearly 2 million Australians currently suffer from osteoporosis. Statistics indicate that 25% of Australian women and 17% of men will develop an osteoporotic fracture. The cost of osteoporosis is $7.4 billion per annum; the numbers of affected individuals and costs are expected to continue increasing. Clearly, improvements to osteoporosis diagnosis, fracture risk assessment, and effective treatments are still urgently needed. The proposed project aims to create a tool for understanding the mechanisms of bone loss and predicting the effects of osteoporosis therapies. It represents a solid contribution to the knowledge base necessary for advancing osteoporosis research and ultimately reducing the incidence of osteoporotic fracture.Read moreRead less